Story of Kunning Palace

If you came here for Bai Lu and Zhang Linghe, I suggest you leave right away. The show didn't really focus on the love between the 2 which I didn't really mind. I'm at least glad that the entire drama didn't revolve all around love. You don't really see any chemistry between the main leads until like past episode 20.

There are some characters that I just loved throughout the entire show. Not only their looks but they managed to pull off the acting of their characters so well. I love the princess's personality and this is my first drama I've seen her act but she did a really good job, and her personality is pretty hard to despise. Yan Lin also did a spectacular job. It just such a pity that they didn't end up together. I feel like Jiang Xuening shouldn't have wasted so much time with Zhang Zhe if she was going to end up leaving him.

The story also took a lot of time to explain what was going on. Basically it's a simple and basic plot. Empress Dowager's family has a lot of power in the court, and wants to take over. That is literally the plot, and Jiang Xuening gets reincarnated will all her knowledge in her past life as empress to stop all bad things from happening.

The show was mid, wasn't super good but not too bad., there are like literally 2 kissing sceneces betwwen the main leads and that's about it.

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Overall the story was nice.
Some parts were rushed especially towards the end but it was not terrible.

The romance would have been more entrancing if it hadn't started so late. IDK why the authors decided to spend more than half the story dwelling on the "love" story between Ning'er and Zhang Zhe.
Also, Zhang Zhe was soooooo boring to me OMG!!!, I wondered why she was so infatuated with him. He was stiff like a wood half the time they interacted.

Back to the ML and FL, I am not one for toxic portrayals of love in any shape or form but something about Zhang Linghe /Xie Wei made me close my eyes every time he was rough with her.

I am very impressed by Zhang Linghe and his portrayal of Xie Wei. I found him to be such an emotive actor, leaving the audience immersed in his character's trials and tribulations. Although he is relatively new and young, I see him achieving great things in the future.

This was my first time watching Bai Liu and I am not going to lie, I expected a lot more from her because of her reputation as a solid actress. I found her acting to be mediocre at best. She is not terrible but she needs to master her emotional scenes. Her character annoyed me a little (dwelling on Zhang Zhe) but Ning'er was ok overall. I liked her spunky and daredevil attitude.

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It's a Good Drama but not THE BEST

First thing first, for those who watch this drama because they expect a romantic theme from early episodes, they should wait and be patient. I’m one of those viewers who watch for the genre and it surprise me big time, from episode 1-24, there’s no romance between the ML & FL whatsoever, they maybe respect one another but as a teacher student nothing more than that… It’s all about Political conflicts of the characters background Xue – Yan & endless conspiracies among them, during these episodes it’s infuriates me ‘cuz the ML is a very smart and calm character but the FL so rebellious & overconfidence (though she’s a goddamn villain but she seem to be getting restart like a game, go back to the checkpoint from the beginning before she make herself a bonafide villain). However Episodes 25-31, it’s getting interesting, I’m totally hooked inside the story even though the Romantic part still in progress there’s no result yet. Then from Episode 32 (which clearly reveal the ML intention i.e romantic decision towards FL definitely well written)and the rest is history.
The ML became so fragile and abnormal in the 30+ Episodes.
The Emperor is a dumb idiot character, he clearly knew that his cousin (his Xue Uncle daughter) was a pathetic btch he still slept with her when she use her cheap seduce trick which she became his another harem wife, seems like he mistakenly think with his balls not brain.
When FL run to the army base camp of yan and convice the soldiers general that she’s a friend of Yan Lin and they believe her like that… that doesn’t make sense.
I like all the characters that the ML considered as friends, they are funny & loyal.
From the original poster of this drama it’s already shows that the ML & FL won’t be close or have romantic feelings to one another that soon, it takes time and yes KUNNING PALACE is full of CUNNING people indeed.
This drama has a new style of storytelling, it seems like Bai Lu character goes back through time but it’s not because its only a story inside a novel which is totally fiction and her character in the story goes back through time to her previous self or reincarnation for a second chance. Anyway it’s a good drama but boy from Ep. 01-24 imo its to dull and slow burn, it’s always argument and all that.
Even though Bai Lu was her stage name, in an Episode where her character was framed, the main items in the scenes was all about the ‘Bai Lu’ paper (types of premium paper use specifically inside Royal Palace)…. her own stage name just pops-up in a dialogue.

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An Interesting Reverse Harem Romance

Chinese heartthrobs Bai Lu & Zhang Ling He are in the news for all the right reasons. Following the success of her Xianxia romance “Till the End of the Moon” and her current on-air drama “Only for Love”, Bai Lu is obviously a fan favorite. Similarly, Zhang Ling He has been riding high on the heels of his recent IQIYI releases “My Journey to You” & “Tiger and Crane”. Adapted from the web novel “Kun Ning” (坤宁) by Shi Jing (时镜), “Story of Kunning Palace” depicts an arrogant Queen’s journey as she falls from grace, commits suicide and transmigrates to the past to redeem herself. Surprisingly, both Bai Lu and Zhang Ling Zhe are playing roles that are morally grey. Bai Lu’s character in “Story of Kunning Palace” might seem quite similar to her portrayal in “Till the End of the Moon”. But Jiang Xuening is definitely different from any of her previous renditions. Zhang Ling Zhe recently played a grey character in “Tiger & Crane” and his “Xie Wei” has similar dark undertones. It seems both actors wanted to try their hands at playing shady characters and, shockingly, they are good at it. Directed by Chu Yui Bun, the show has a star-studded ensemble and is based on the concept of a reverse harem. Yes, that’s right. Jiang Xuening has quite a few admirers in this storyline and the show majorly focuses on her burgeoning relationship with each of them.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/11/10/story-of-kunning-palace-first-impressions/

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BEST PLOT BUT A NOT SO GOOD CHEMISTRY

This is the first time I'll be writing review in kisskh even tho I'm not new in this website. I just wanted to share that the plot of this story is beyond magnificent. The writing, the satisfaction it gives to viewers, the angst, and everything. One problem is that, one actor was so good at his role that made me want him to be picked by the female lead. Yes, that's you, Yan Lin. I dunno but the writers made sure he'll be loved by viewers including me. I haven't finished it yet so I still don't feel the chemistry between the female lead, Ning'er and Xie Wei or whatever the male lead's name is but I hope I could feel the chemistry in the next episodes. It is slow burn, which I love btw, but I just really couldn't feel any chemistry of the female lead with both male leads named Zhang Zhe and Xie Wei (or whatever his name is, I repeat) because I am really a sucker for Yan Lin. After I finish this cdrama, I'll change the ratings depending if I get to like the chemistry cos that's the only problem with this cdrama imo.

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It was almost good-ish but..

Despite similar plot having been explored in many other dramas, I had high expectations for this one due to its impressive production quality. The beginning showed promise, with events seemingly aligning in the FL favor, and I largely overlooked the family drama subplot. Initially, it appeared that Xue Ning and Yan Lin's relationship might evolve romantically, only for her to opt for friendship instead. The pacing was pretty good at this point, I was impressed.

Suddenly, Xue Ning becomes fixated on Yan Lin, determined to protect him from all the dangers of the world, without fully understanding the motivations behind his past actions, including his betrayal (if I recall correctly, he even assaulted her?).

While she remained wary of Xie Wei from the outset, Yan Lin received a pass despite his association with him. She vilifies Xie Wei without considering her own stance.

The introduction of Zhang Zhe felt underwhelming after much anticipation. Xue Ning's sudden fixation on him, resorting to her previous tactics to win him over, seemed driven more by a desire to validate her goodness rather than genuine affection. Her moment of self-reflection following Zhang Zhe's mother's second death felt forced, especially considering her subsequent emotional outburst, which contradicted her established character. But when Xie Wei showed up and hugged her, it became evident that it was merely a setup for the introduction of Xie Wei as the new romantic interest.

As for the "plot", up until episode 25, Xie Wei seems to be in the palace for revenge. As for Queen Dowager, she seems to have had played a part in the conflict that started it all. Xie Wei is trying his best to keep Yan family safe while trying to remove the obstacles and that's where we are now, and by the looks of it, I think it will continue for at least the next 5-6 episodes which I can't endure.

Overall, the series was passable entertainment until this point, but I find myself reluctant to continue beyond episode 25. What I anticipated as a revenge-driven narrative devolved into a clichéd toxic romance drama prioritizing runtime over plot development. Nonetheless, it earns a 6.5/10 for its commendable performances and high production values.

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I'm so glad they make dramas like this!

The plot is intelligent and edgy. The characters are layered, especially the male and female lead. Loved the interplay & chemistry among the 5 main characters (female lead & her 4 potential suitors), and not just the romantic ones. Enjoyed following the minor cast like Me Lyu, Fangyin, the 2 martial arts protectors of Xie Wei. Loved the drama opening. It barely took any time to get me hooked & enjoy the gripping ride until the end.

Suffices to say, I loved the drama!
It left me with much to think about: what it takes to tow the line between good and bad, where to draw the line for myself.

Spoilers ahead:
The villians are rruly despicable, piling on their heinous acts until there is no scope for redemption. I wonder if this was the intent if the story writers - to push until the point of no redemption & leave no room for doubt in condemning them for all their wrongdoings.

And, never mind the cliches associated with it, I loved watching Xie Juan in the real world, smiling freely for once 😍

I highly recommend the drama if you enjoy smart characters, intelligent plot lines, suspense & well-crafted political intrigue, leads who save themselves & others - yes, the female ones.

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ok wow. that was intense af. looking back at it, the main reason i watched it was bc of bai lu my queen (istg none of her dramas are bad bad) but the whole main cast is familiar to me e.g. Wang Xingyue and Liu Xiening from Perfect Match. at the beginning, i felt like the relationship between Jiang Xuening (Bai Lu) and Xie Wei (Zhang Linghe) was literally never going to start, and when it did, it was giving very very large red flag ahh toxic relationship. But ig when they both gave in it was nice to see the peace between the all the characters and especially Yan Lin (Zhou Jun Wei) not becoming a villan out of jealousy. Also, the fact that not everyone except for one died in the end was a nice touch when it comes to ancient chinese dramas, quite a shock overcame me when I realized that not everyone in the main cast was corpseified. The ending was very satisfying to me, no exclusive deaths, no cliffhangers, no mysterious reincarnation, just a happy ending with all the ends wrapped up. I was so into it I forgot it was just a reflection of the "real world" lmao. Anyways, a solid 9/10 from me. Bai Lu is amazing. (p.s. through this drama i realized Zhang Linghe really has a sharp ahh jawline, never noticed that before) (p.p.s papa xie wei is a menace to that son of his. ahhhh jealousy....)

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Not Just Another Palace Drama—This One Will Wreck You (in the BEST Way)!?❤️

Okay, so I just finished watching Story of Cunning Palace and OMG I am OBSESSED!! Like seriously, this drama took over my whole brain—I can’t stop thinking about it. The story is just SO good, not like the usual time-travel palace stuff we see all the time. In this drama so many things are happening, and you're literally going to be so hooked!!

Normally, the female lead goes back to the past n got confused etc, trying to get out like that. But here? The twist is that in her past life, she was actually the villain. Yep—the scheming, power-hungry villain who did all the dirty tricks to become Empress. But when she gets a second chance at life, she decides she doesn’t want to repeat her mistakes. She chooses a different path, and that’s where everything gets sooo interesting. The drama shows that nobody is born a villain—sometimes life just pushes them into that role. I LOVED that message.

The best part for me is how mature the whole drama feels. Like, everyone’s character is so well-written, and they actually trust each other, which is so rare in political dramas. The emotions?? Wow. You can laugh, cry, get mad, feel shy butterflies—literally every emotion is there. And the political side of the drama is done so smartly, it never feels boring.
Like you're going to be- INVESTED!!

Also, can we talk about the Emperor?! Thank God he’s not an idiot like in so many other palace dramas 😂. He’s smart, aware of what’s happening, and no one can easily fool him. I actually really liked his character because he knew exactly what it meant to be Emperor.

Now about the love story… oof, my heart. The female lead didn’t choose the man who loved her the most, and honestly, that was sad because that man was just… perfect. 💌 Like, he REALLY loved her. But instead of turning jealous or petty when she fell for someone else, he just accepted it. He was genuinely happy for her. That level of maturity??? So rare in dramas. I adored his character so much.

The male lead had a tragic past, but after meeting her, he grew into such a strong and inspiring character. His love for her was so deep—he wanted to live for her, but he was also ready to sacrifice himself if needed. The only thing I didn’t like was when he sometimes kissed her forcefully just to show his feelings. That made me uncomfortable. But aside from that, their relationship was full of love, care, and understanding.

In the end, Story of Cunning Palace is not just a drama—it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It has politics, love, heartbreak, maturity, and so much depth. It’s the kind of drama that keeps you hooked like, “Oh my god, what’s going to happen next??” I love ZHANG N BAI LU 😭❤️

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